Means for transporting concrete



NOV. 12, 1929. 5:5 PHILIPS 1,734,980

'MEA'NS FOR TRAN-SPORTING CONCRETE Filed Sept. 12.- 1928' 2 Sheets-Sheet1 HIIHW Nov..12, 1929. E. s. PHILIPS MEANS FOR TRANSPORTING CONCRETEFiled Sept. 12. 1928 2 Sheds-Sheet Mij Patented Nov. 12, 1929 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE EARLE S. PHILIPS, F KENNETT SQUARE, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN ROAD MACHINERY COMPANY, OF K'ENNETT SQUARE,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- Y TION OF DELAWARE MEANS FOR TRANSPORTINGCONCRETE Application filed September 12, 1928. Serial No. 305,338.

a This invention relates to means for transporting'concrete and moreparticularly toa motor-driven truckwhich is adapted to mix or maintainmixed a charge of wet concrete during transportation.

Heretofore it has been attempted to mix concrete at central mixingplants and transport the concrete from such plants to the place of use.At first, ordinary dump trucks were used but it was found that in a veryshort time after loading, and probably due to vibration of the truckduring transportation, the aggregate, being heavier than the more liquidportions of the mix, would settle on the bottom of the truck, forming ahard compact mass which was removable only with diiiiculty and whichnecessitated a re-mixing of the concrete at the point of use.

To avoid these difliculties, various trucks have been designed havingrevolving tanks thereon. In one form of this construction, the revolvingtank is pro vided with a plurality of inwardly extending blades whichare designed to churn the concrete, thus effectively maintaining aproper mixture. Such construction has been found impractical, however,by reason of the fact that the concrete collects and solidifies at thejunction of the blades with the walls of the cylinder, coating the sameso as to render them substantially ineffective and preventing the readyremoval of the mixed concrete.

To avoid this objectionable feature resulting from the use of blades,attempts have also been made to use smooth walled cylindrical tanksconcentric with the axis of rotation. in such tanks, relatively littlemixing occurs, the tanks being only effective to a relatively slightdegree to maintain mixed an already thoroughly mixed concrete, but beinginoperative to actually mix the unmixed ingredients to form a finishedconcrete. Com sequently, the use of such tanks necessitates completemixing prior to the filling of the tank, a process more costly than thatresulting when tanks with blades are used, since if blades are used theunmixed ingredients may be dumped into the tank and thorough mixing willtake place during the transportation.

A further objection to the use of smooth walled tanks of circular crosssection is the necessity of having the tank substantially more than halffull in order to even maintain mixed an already mixed concrete. It isfound that if the tank is less than half full substantially no mixingwill occur. Furthermore, in these smooth walled tanks in order to obtainany mixing a more vigorous rotation is necessary, the result of which israpid wearing of the walls 'of the tank. If blades are used, a morethorough mixing takes place with less vigorous rotation and the blades,which are relatively cheap and may be replaced take up the wear ratherthan the walls of the tank.

Rotary tanks of the character described are generally provided withdischarge openings in the rear end walls thereof. Upon opening a slidinggate or the like, when the walls of the tank are smooth it is found thatthe concrete gushes out in an uncontrollable and objectionable mannerwhich renders impossible the eiiicient use of chutes since the concretetends to spill over the sides thereof. On the other hand, when bladesare used, they have heretofore presented obstructions to the dischargeof the concrete.

It is accordingly the broad object of the present invention to provide arotary tank of the character described which avoids both the objectionsnoted above to both the smooth walled tank and to that provided withblades in the ordinary manner. A further object consists of anarrangement of guiding vanes within the tank which will prevent thegushing therefrom of the concrete during discharge but which will serveto so control the concrete without obstructing it that it may bedischarged into chutes which will carry it to the point of use.

These and other more specific objects and their accomplishment will beapparent from the following description read in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic elevation showing the improved transporting andmixing means,

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the tank.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the tank.

m0tor or by the truck motor.

Fig. 4; is a side elevation partly in section showing an interior blade.

The chassis of a motor truck is indicated at 2. Pivotally mounted abouta transverse axis at the rear of the chassis is a supporting frame onwhich is suitably journalled a rotary cylindrical tank 6 driven by amotor 8. Details of the mounting of the tank are not shown, since anysuitable well known means may be used. While a separate drivingmotor isshown, it will be obvious that the cylindrical tank may be driventhrough suitable transmission mechanism from the driving motor of thetruck. As shown, the tank is journalled in suitable bearings at itsfront and rear and is driven directly through a shaft connected to motor8. It will be obvious, of course, that the tank may be rovided, as insomeof the usual forms, wit an annular gear meshing with the pinionwhich is driven either by the separate 7 A suitable charging opening 10is provided in the top of the rotary tank, while a discharge opening 12is provided at the bottom of the rear end thereof. The discharge openingmay be provided with the usual sliding gateway (not shov. a).

so I

. Within the tank are positioned a plurality of fins 14 arranged inpairs. These fins 14 may be secured to thecylindrical wall of the tankby means of outwardly extending bolts or the like passing through thetank and secured on the outside thereof by nuts.

By this construction, the fins are so mounted as to be 'readildetachable for cleaning or replacement. shown most clearly in Figs. 2and 4, the fins are arranged in pairs, two pairs being shown, althoughit will be clear that any number of pairs might be provided. In Fig. 2,the tank is shown in its discharge position with discharge opening 12 atthe bot- ,tom thereof. It will be noted that a pair of fins 14 extendinglongitudinally of the tank and at an angle to the direction of its axisconverge rearwardly toward opening 12. By this arrangement, when thegate covering opening 12 is raised, the concrete outwardly of the "finsis not free to rush cross-Wise of the' opening but an even andcontrolled flow of the concrete outwardly from between the fins ismaintained. Thus gushing of the concrete is prevented and the dischargedmixture may be made to flow quietly down a chute.

The outer edges of fins 14 arespaced from the cylindrical wall of thetank. This spacing' preferably varies from about one inch lat the'discharge end, as indicated at 18, to

one'iandlone-halfinch or two inches at the front'end; as indicated at20. By this arrangement;acirculation of the concrete is produced duringrotation of the tank.

' Byreason ofthe spacing of the fins from the wall of the tank, as ablade moves outwardly above the surface of concrete during over itsupper surface and soon after the blade emerges from the surface it willbe substantially free from concrete. Any concrete which tends to remainclinging to the blade surface will be wiped therefrom by friction duringa subsequent movement of the blade through the mixture, whereas if theblade contacts with the wall the portion adjacent to the wall will notbe subj'ectto a movement of the mixture thereover which might tend tocleanse it.

With the construction described, not only will mixed concrete bemaintained in erfect- 1y mixed condition but the unmixed mgredients willbe thoroughly mixed so that it is necessary to erect at a central plantonly means for measuring proper batches of ingredients for delivery tothe tank, without the necessity of providing any mixing means at theplant, since thorough mixing will take place during the first fewminutes of transportation, the tank acting, thereafter, to maintaintheingredients thoroughly mixed.

By reason of the provision of blades which perform the primary functionof mixing, it is unnecessary to rapidly rotate the cylinder, or to havethe tank filled to any particular degree, to obtain mixing by frictionwith the walls, since the mixing due to this friction would benegligible. As a consequence,'the walls of the tanks are saved fromerosion, blades which may become destroyed or corroded being readily rmoved.

W hat I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. Means for transporting and mixing concrete comprising a vehicle, arotarytank mounted on the vehicle, means for rotating the tank, and aplurality of mixing fins ex-'.

tending along the inner walls of thetank in spaced reldtion thereto,said fins being ar ranged in pairs, the members of each pair extendinginwardly from thewalls of the tank in approximately the same direction.

2. Means for transporting and mixing concrete comprising a vehicle, arotary tank mounted on the Vehicle, means for rotating the tank, and aplurality'of mixing fins extending along the inner walls of the tank inspaced relation thereto, the fins being spaced from the walls of thatankto a greater extent at one end than at the other.

3. Means for transporting and mixing concrete comprising a vehicle, arotary tank mounted on the vehicle, means for rotating thietank, saidtank having a discharge opening at one end thereof, and a pair of finswithin the tank converging towards the opening- 4. Means fortransporting and mixing concrete comprising a vehicle, a rotary tankmounted on the vehicle, means "for rotating the tank, said .tank havingadischarge opening at one end thereof, and a pair'of'fins within thetank converging towards the opening, said fins being spaced from thewalls of the tank.

5. Means for transporting concrete comprising a vehicle, a rotary tankmounted on crete comprising a vehicle, a rotary tank the vehicle, meansfor rotating the tank, and a mixing fin extending along the inner wallof the tank in spacedrelation thereto and forming acute angles withradii of the tank intersecting it.

6. Means for transporting concrete comprising a vehicle, a rotary tankmounted on the vehicle, means for rotating the tank, said tank having adischarge opening at one end thereof and opposed pairs of fins withinthe tank, the fins of one pair converging towards the opening.

7. Means the vehicle, means forrotating the tank, said tank having adischarge opening at one end thereof and opposed pairs of fins withinthe tank, the fins of one pair extending from the opening-towards theopposite end of the tank. I

8. Means for transporting and mixin concrete comprising a vehicle, arotary tan ,mounted on the vehicle, means for rotating the tank, and aplurality of mixing fins extending along the inner Walls of the tank andbeing substantially coextensive in the direction of the axis ofrotation, said fins converging towards each'other.

9. Means for transporting and mlxing conmounted on the vehicle, meansfor rotating the tank, anda plurality of mixing fins extending along theinner walls of the tank and being substantially coextensive in thedirection of the axis of rotation and extending substantially the fulllength of the tank, said for transporting concrete co1nprising avehicle, a-rotary tank mounted on 7 adjacent the opening, said endsbeing spaced apart a distance less than the width of the opening.

12. Means for transporting and mixing concrete comprising a vehicle, arotary tank mounted on the vehicle, means for rotating the tank, saidtank having a discharge opening at one end thereof adjacent its sidewall,

- and-a pair of fins Within the tank extending longitudinally thereofand having their ends adjacent the opening, said fins being.spaced fromthe walls of the tank.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, atPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, on this 11th day of September, 1928.

' 'EARLE S. PHILIPS.

fins being spaced from the walls of the tank.

10. Means for transporting and mixing concrete comprising avehicle, arotary tank mounted on the vehicle, means for rotating the tank, saidtank having a discharge opening at one end thereof adjacent its sidewall, and a pair of fins within the tank extending longitudinallythereof and having their ends

